Biomedical subjects

Z Stoneman

Publications and source records attributed to Z Stoneman.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed1992

Contemporaneous and longitudinal associations of sibling conflict with family relationship assessments and family discussions about sibling problems.

The first purpose of this study was to examine contemporaneous and longitudinal associations of maternal and paternal measures of family functioning with observational and self-report assessments of sibling conflict. The second purpose was to determine whether the ways in which families attempt to solve siblings' problems are associated with contemporaneous and longitudinal assessment of sibling conflict. The results indicate that paternal equality of treatment and family harmony during family discussions about sibling problems, as well as parents' perceptions of family cohesiveness, are associated with lower sibling conflict levels.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1992

Associations of maternal and paternal direct and differential behavior with sibling relationships: contemporaneous and longitudinal analyses.

In this study we examined associations of 4 paternal direct and differential behaviors with concurrent and longitudinal assessments of sibling relationships, as well as the unique contributions of mothers' and fathers' behavior to the sibling relationship variables. Observational assessments of maternal and paternal direct and differential behavior, as well as observational and self-report assessments of sibling relationship quality, were obtained. Only one difference emerged between rates of maternal and paternal behavior toward the children; however, paternal behavior accounted for unique variance in sibling relationship quality more often than did maternal behavior. The results are discussed in terms of relative parental availability.

Birth Order↗

PubMed1991

Observations of the role relations and behavior between older children with mental retardation and their younger siblings.

Children with mental retardation and their younger siblings without retardation were observed interacting in three naturally occurring in-home contexts (toy play, television viewing, and snack). Comparison siblings without retardation who were matched on age, sex, race, parental marital status, education, and family income were also observed. Interactions between children with retardation and their siblings were characterized by accentuated role asymmetries that favored the younger siblings, whereas the older siblings were dominant in the comparison group. No differences in affect were found between the sibling groups. The competence of the child with mental retardation reliably predicted sibling role asymmetries, and the observational contexts influenced sibling behavior in both groups. Gender differences in roles and behavior were minimal.

Activities of Daily Living↗

PubMed1991

Ascribed role relations between children with mental retardation and their younger siblings.

Ascribed, parent-mediated childcare roles of younger same-sex siblings of children with mental retardation were compared to roles assumed by a matched group of comparison siblings. Role reversals were evident for younger siblings of children with mental retardation. These reversals were consistent with roles assumed by the siblings during observed interactions. Increased younger sibling childcare roles were related to less conflicted sibling relationships but were not predictive of friendship or socialization experiences of younger siblings. Younger siblings of children with mental retardation had fewer household chores than did comparison agemates. Children with mental retardation had fewer friendship contacts and out-of-home activities than did their peers without mental retardation. Important within-group differences were evident.

Activities of Daily Living↗

PubMed1990

Assessing individual differences: effects of responding to prior questionnaires on the substantive and psychometric properties of self-esteem and depression assessments.

It has become a common practice among psychological researchers to administer batteries of individual difference assessments to research participants, although little is known about whether the substantive and psychometric integrity of the questionnaires are maintained when they are administered after the subject has completed other instruments. The studies presented here consider these issues in relation to the assessment of self-esteem and depression. In the first study, college students responded to a self-esteem inventory (a) by itself (control group), (b) after one prior questionnaire, (c) after three prior questionnaires, or (d) after five prior questionnaires. Results indicated that filling out one or more questionnaires before an assessment of self-esteem resulted in reports of lower self-esteem relative to the control condition. Additional analyses revealed that filling out three or five prior questionnaires created lower reliabilities of subscale scores and lower estimates of concurrent validity between self-esteem and depression. When the effect of prior questionnaires on the General Self-Esteem subscale was examined, the aforementioned results were replicated, and the prior questionnaire treatment created heterogeneous variances across the experimental groups. The second study was designed as a replication of the first study, using an assessment of depression as the target questionnaire. These results revealed that reports of depressive symptomatology increased as the number of prior questionnaires increased. Again, the prior questionnaire treatment created heterogeneity of variance between the groups, but did not adversely affect its internal consistency.

Adaptation, Psychological↗

PubMed1990

Cognitive play of mentally retarded preschoolers: observations in the home and school.

A within-subjects design was used to examine the cognitive play of 12 mainstreamed mentally retarded preschool boys during group free-play at school and in an independent play situation at home. Children played with available toys at school and with three designated toy sets at home. Cognitive and communicative abilities were established through administration of the Battelle Developmental Inventory. Children not only played more in the home condition, but this play was more sophisticated than that in the school condition. Increased differences between home and school performance were positively associated with expressive communicative developmental age. Peak play did not differ between the two settings. Children not only sequenced play activities more at home, but these sequences were longer and more complex than those at school.

Cerebral Palsy↗

PubMed1990

Mentally retarded individuals in family care homes: relationships with the family-of-origin.

Family involvement with mentally retarded individuals living in family care was studied. A sample of 104 home providers completed a set of questionnaires focusing on family visitation, client trips home, and other forms of family contact. When combined predictors of family visitation were examined, the three variables contributing unique variance were the participation of family in placement, the provider's encouragement of involvement, and the living status of the father. Family involvement correlates of client and home provider characteristics, distance from the care home, and care home size were presented. Important support roles played by siblings, particularly for older residents, were discussed as were the impacts of family involvement on home provider stress. Descriptive information on family involvement across the lifespan was presented.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1990

Community first.

Explore the source record for details and available documents.

Community Mental Health Services↗

PubMed1989

Friendship patterns and community integration of family care residents.

Friendship patterns and community integration of mentally retarded persons living in family care homes were examined. A sample of 104 home providers completed a set of questionnaires which provided information on demographic characteristics, client maladaptive behavior, climate of the home, amount and variety of participation in community environments, and number and frequency of visitations with friends. Family care home residents were reported to have both handicapped and nonhandicapped friends and to participate in numerous community environments. Other evidence, however, raised questions about the selection of friendships and the independence of community integration. Correlates of community participation and friendship visits were examined. Results are discussed in terms of possible implications for family care services.

Adult↗

PubMed1989

Role relations between children who are mentally retarded and their older siblings: observations in three in-home contexts.

Older nonhandicapped siblings and same-sex younger mentally retarded siblings (n = 16 sibling pairs) were observed in their homes during toy play, snack, and television-viewing, as were an equal number of comparison sibling pairs, matched for age, gender, and family characteristics. Role relationships between mentally retarded children and older siblings were asymmetrical, with older siblings assuming frequent teacher, manager, and helper roles. Older sisters, in particular, participated in frequent teaching. Amount of interaction between siblings was directly related to the contexts in which they were observed. Nonhandicapped siblings engaged each other more as playmates. Interactional correlates of language and adaptive competencies of the mentally retarded children are presented, as are correlations between the age of the siblings and the roles they assume with each other.

Adaptation, Psychological↗

PubMed1989

Marital quality, depression, and inconsistent parenting: relationship with observed mother-child conflict.

In a study of 47 intact families with two same-sex children, associations among parental depression, marital satisfaction, family conflict, and inconsistent child rearing practices were examined, both between parents and within individual parents. Results are discussed in terms of gender-related differences in family process. The need for further research on father-child interactions is highlighted.

Child↗

PubMed1989

Comparison groups in research on families with mentally retarded members: a methodological and conceptual review.

A review and critique of the use of comparison groups in mental retardation family research was provided. Issues addressed include matching on age versus competency of the mentally retarded family member, description of comparison groups in published research, demographic equivalence of groups, matching strategies, populations from which samples were drawn, appropriateness of tasks/instruments across groups, and the role of theory in comparison group selection. Unique concerns relating to sibling research and studies of mentally retarded parents were discussed. Caution was expressed concerning the translation of comparison research findings into intervention targets for families with mentally retarded members. Alternatives to comparison group designs were presented as well as recommendations for selecting and describing comparison samples.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1988

Child temperament and parental perceptions of individual child adjustment: an intrafamilial analysis.

The association between child temperament and mothers' and fathers' perceptions of child adjustment was investigated in a study of 70 married couples, each of whom had two children of the same gender--36 brother pairs and 34 sets of sisters. The parents' perceptions of their children's levels of activity, persistence, and emotional intensity were found to be related to their perceptions of child adjustment. Implications of the findings are discussed and directions for further research indicated.

Adaptation, Psychological↗

PubMed1988

Correlates of stress, perceived competence, and depression among family care providers.

Correlates of three coping outcomes among individuals providing family care homes for mentally retarded residents were investigated. A sample of 104 home providers completed a set of questionnaires providing information on demographic characteristics, client characteristics, clarity of role expectations, neighbor attitudes, training, and social support. These factors were used to predict stress, perceptions of competence, and depression. Social support was the most powerful predictor of stress and perceptions of competence. Negative neighbor attitudes were associated with both stress and lower self-confidence, whereas the presence of a handicapped person in the home provider's family predicted self-perception of competence. Home provider age was the best predictor of depression.

Adaptation, Psychological↗

PubMed1988

Childcare responsibilities, peer relations, and sibling conflict: older siblings of mentally retarded children.

Household and childcare responsibilities, peer contacts, and out-of-home activities of older same-sex siblings of mentally retarded children as compared to a group of matched nonhandicapped children were examined. Older siblings of retarded children, particularly older sisters, assumed multiple caretaking responsibilities. For these siblings, increased childcare responsibilities were associated with sibling conflict and decreased opportunities for peer contacts and out-of-home activities. As a group, however, siblings of retarded children did not differ from their agemates in frequency of contact with friends or participation in out-of-home activities. Retarded younger siblings had less contact with friends than did their nonhandicapped agemates. Within-group differences appeared to be more important in understanding sibling risk status than whether the child had a younger retarded sibling.

Child↗

PubMed1987

Family system and individual child correlates of sibling behavior.

In this study of the connections between marital adjustment and sibling behavior, the best predictor of younger siblings' prosocial behavior was found to be low interparental conflict. Older siblings' prosocial behavior was most associated with the mothers' marital adjustment. Younger siblings' agonistic behavior was related to marital adjustment and to the older children's activity level.

Child↗

PubMed1987

Mentally retarded children and their older same-sex siblings: naturalistic in-home observations.

In-home interactions of mentally retarded children and their older nonhandicapped siblings were observed, as were interactions between target children and their mothers and fathers. Thirty-two same-sex sibling pairs participated; 16 with a mentally retarded child. Comparison siblings were matched on age, sex, race, parent marital status, education, and family income. High rates of interaction occurred between siblings. Older siblings accommodated the presence of a retarded child through their selection of activities. Interactions between retarded children and siblings were characterized by accentuated role asymmetries and less joint object play; no differences in affect were found. Gender differences in roles occurred as did relationships between competency of the retarded child and sibling interaction. Indirect effects on the parent-child relationship were also detected.

Child↗

PubMed1986

Parental nonparticipation in program planning for mentally retarded children. An empirical investigation.

This study examined differences in family characteristics, maternal knowledge about the educational program planning process, and maternal knowledge about children's individualized educational plans (IEPs) among families where parents never attended program planning meetings, inconsistently attended these meetings, or attended all of their children's IEP meetings. Nonattending families tended to have lower incomes and less parental education and included more single parent families and nonwhite families. Mothers from nonattending families placed more responsibility for their children's educational programs on professionals and had less information about the program planning process than mothers from other families. These mothers also knew less about their children's educational goals and objectives, the assessment data available on their children, and the support services received by their offspring. Mothers who attended program planning meetings believed that they benefited from attending, but many believed that their presence made no difference as to the outcome of the meeting. Suggestions for increasing parent involvement are presented.

Child↗